APPLICATOR

APPLICATEUR

English Abstract

An applicator (10) comprises a flexible container (14) having an upper end
portion (16) with a dispensing orifice (18) therein. An applicator head (24)
of foam material having a plurality of protrusions thereon is secured to an
outside surface of the upper end portion. Substances (12) within the flexible
container (14) flow through the foam material of the applicator head (24) to
the exterior surface thereof when such substances (12) are dispensed through
the orifice (18). The applicator (10) also has a removable closure cap (30),
and releasable locking structure is provided on an inside surface of the
closure cap (30) and an outside surface of the upper end portion of the
flexible container (14) so that the closure cap (30) is releasably secured to
the flexible container (14).

French Abstract

L'invention concerne un applicateur (10) comprenant un conteneur souple (14) qui possède une partie d'extrémité supérieure (16) pourvue d'un orifice de distribution (18). Une tête d'applicateur (24) en matériau alvéolaire possédant plusieurs protubérances est fixé à une surface extérieure de la partie d'extrémité supérieure. Des substances (12) se trouvant à l'intérieur du conteneur souple (14) s'écoulent à travers le matériau alvéolaire de la tête d'applicateur (24) vers la surface extérieure de celle-ci lorsque ces substances (12) sont délivrées à travers l'orifice (18). L'applicateur (10) comprend également un couvercle (30) de fermeture amovible, et une structure de verrouillage détachable est placée sur la surface intérieure du couvercle (30) de fermeture et la surface extérieure de la partie d'extrémité supérieure du conteneur souple (14) de manière que le couvercle de fermeture (30) soit fixé détachable au conteneur souple (14).

Claims

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CLAIMS
1. An applicator comprising a flexible container and a closure cap, the
flexible
container having an upper end portion with at least one dispensing orifice
therein, an
applicator head of foam material having a plurality of protrusions thereon and
being
secured to an outside surface of the upper end portion whereby substances
within the
flexible container flow through the foam material of the said applicator head
when
dispensed through the orifice, and releasable locking structure on an inside
surface of the
closure cap and an outside surface of the upper end portion of the flexible
container
whereby the closure cap is releasably secured to the flexible container.
2. An applicator as in claim 1, wherein the releasable locking structure
includes a
plurality of spaced apart outwardly directed lugs on the upper end portion of
the flexible
container and a plurality of inwardly directed annular lugs on the inside
surface of the
closure cap that snap fit with the lugs on the flexible container.
3. An applicator as in claim 1, wherein the closure cap includes an oval
shaped side
wall, and wherein the upper end portion of the flexible container has a
complementary
oval shape.
4. An applicator as in claim 1, wherein the dimpled applicator head of foam
material
includes a plurality of protrusions equally spaced apart and arranged along an
oval path
near an outer edge of the applicator head with several additional protrusions
positioned
within the oval path.

Description

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APPLICATOR
Background of the Invention
The present invention relates to an applicator comprising a container and a
closure
cap, and more particularly to an applicator that dispenses and applies the
substances
within the container where desired.
Many consumer products are packaged in small hand held containers with
removable closure caps to retain the freshness of the product between uses
thereof.
However, these container and closure cap assemblies are somewhat complicated
in
construction and in many instances they simply function to dispense the
material within
the container.
Summarx of the Invention
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an applicator
which
is simple in construction and simple to use.
Another object of the present invention is an applicator which functions to
both
dispense and apply the container contents where desired.
In accordance with the present invention, an applicator comprises a flexible
container having an upper end portion with at least one dispensing orifice
therein. An
applicator head of foam material having a plurality of protrusions thereon is
secured to the
outside surface of the upper end portion of the flexible container whereby
substances
within the container flow through the foam material of the applicator head
when
dispensed through the orifice. A closure cap is removably snap fitted over the
upper end
portion of the container. Releasable locking structure is located on the
inside surface of
the closure cap and the outside surface of the upper end portion of the
flexible container
so that the closure cap is releasably secured to the flexible container.
The releasable locking structure preferably includes a plurality of spaced
apart
outwardly directed lugs on the upper end portion of the flexible container and
a plurality
of inwardly directed lugs on the inside surface of the closure cap that snap
fit with the
lugs on the flexible container. The closure cap preferably includes an oval
shaped side
wall. The upper end portion of the flexible container has a complimentary oval
shape.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the applicator head of
foam
material includes a plurality of raised protrusions equally spaced apart and
arranged along

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an oval path near the outer edge of the applicator head with several
additional protrusions
positioned witlun the oval path.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Novel features and advantages of the present invention in addition to those
noted
above will become apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art from a
reading of the
following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings
wherein
similar reference characters refer to similar parts and in which:
Figure 1 is front elevational view of an applicator, according to the present
invention, the rear elevational view being identical;
Figure 2 is a right side elevational view of the applicator shown in Figure 1,
the
left side elevational view being identical;
Figure 3 is a top plan view of the applicator shown in Figures 1 and 2,
Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the applicator shown in Figures 1-3;
Figure 5 is a front elevational view of the applicator shown in Figures 1-4
with the
closure cap removed, the rear elevational view being identical;
Figure 6 is a top plan view of the applicator with the closure cap removed;
Figure 7 is a right side elevational view of the applicator with the closure
cap
removed, the left side elevational view being identical;
Figure 8 is a bottom plan view of the closure cap shown in Figures 1-4;
Figure 9 is a partial front elevational view similar to Figure 1 but with
portions
broken away to show interior details; and
Figure 10 is a fragmental enlarged cross-sectional view showing details of the
foam head of the applicator.
Detailed Description of the Invention
Referring in more particularity to the drawings, Figures 1-8 illustrate the
exterior
features of an applicator 10 for dispensing and applying materials or
substances 12, such
as ointments, creams and the like. Applicator 10 may be manufactured from any
suitable
thermoplastic material compatible with the substance packaged. Such
thermoplastic
materials include polyethylene and polypropylene, for example. Extrusion and
welding
techniques, well known in the art, may be used to produce the finished
applicator product.

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Applicator 10 comprises a flexible container 14 having an upper end portion
16.
As shown best in Figure 9, dispensing orifice 18 is provided in the upper end
portion 16
of the container. Alternatively, the dispensing orifice may be offset and/or
more than one
orifice may be used. The lower end of container 14 is closed by a straight
seal 20.
The upper end portion 16 of applicator 10 includes an upwardly extending side
wall 22, and an applicator head 24 foam material and bearing a plurality of
protrusions is
secured within the upwardly extending side wall 22, as shown best in Figure 9.
The foam
material consists of closed cell foam, and the substance 12 flows through a
passageway 40
in the foam to the exterior surface of the applicator head when the flexible
container 14 is
squeezed thereby dispensing the substance through the orifice 18 into the foam
material.
Alternatively, the material of the applicator head may be selected so that the
applicator
head is impregnated with substance 12 when the container is squeezed.
The upper surface of the applicator head includes a plurality of spaced apart
bumps or protrusions 26, each having a height B of approximately 1/8 to 1/4
inches and a
circular base dimension having a radius A of 1/8 to 1/4 inches. As shown best
in Figure
6, the dimples 26 are equally spaced apart and arranged along an oval path
near the outer
edge of the applicator head with several additional protrusions positioned
within the oval
path. Although twelve protrusions are shown, if the protrusions are larger, a
lesser
number may be sufficient. Also, if the protrusions are smaller, more
protrusions may be
desirable.
Applicator 10 also includes a flexible closure cap 30 having a generally flat
top 32
and a downwardly extending surrounding side wall 34. Closure cap 30 snap fits
over the
upper end portion 16 of the flexible container to releasably secure the
closure cap to the
container. Releasable locking structure providing the snap fit is located on
the inside of
the surrounding wall 34 and on the outside of the upper end portion 16. The
locking
structure on the inside of a surrounding wall 34 includes four equally spaced
apart
inwardly extending lugs 36, and the locking structure on the outside surface
of the upper
end portion 16 includes four equally spaced apart outwardly extending lugs 38
in vertical
alignment with the lugs 36 on the closure cap.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the surrounding wall 34
of
the closure cap has an oval shape and the upper end portion of the flexible
container has a

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complimentary oval shape. Accordingly, whenever the closure cap is fitted over
the
upper end portion of the flexible container, the lugs 36 and 38 are always in
vertical
alignment with one another to produce the desired interference with one
another which
produces the snap fit.
In use, the closure cap is first removed from the upper end portion of the
flexible
container to expose the applicator head 24 of foam material. Container 14 is
then gently
squeezed to dispense substance 12 through orifice 18 into the foam material to
the
exterior surface thereof. The applicator head 24 is then rubbed over the
desired area to
stimulate that area and simultaneously apply substance 12. Upon completion of
the
application process, the closure cap is returned and snap fitted over the
upper end portion
of the container to preserve the freshness of the packaged substance.

Representative Drawing